Gas-burning cigarette lighters and fuel refill containers for use with such lighters



June 20, 1961 H. LOWENTHAL 2,989,091

GAS-BURNING CIGARETTE LIGHTERS AND FUEL REFILL CONTAINERS FOR USE WITH SUCH LIGHTERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 12, 1959 Inventor flB/IS [Or/en/fia/ By W W Attorneys 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 20, 1961 H. LOWENTHAL GAS-BURNING CIGARETTE LIGHTERS AND FUEL REFIL 1 CONTAINERS FOR USE WITH SUCH LIGHTERS Filed June 12, 1959 Fig. 3

Inventor fims [awen/fia/ B I A ttorney:

H. LOWENTHAL June 20, 1961 GAS-BURNING CIGARETTE LIGHTERS AND FUEL REFILL CONTAINERS FOR USE WITH SUCH LIGHTERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 12, 1959 Inventor 6 3/75 [0 we); I Aa/ [other container containing liquefied gas.

United States Patent IO REFILL CONTAINERS FOR USE WITH SUCH LIGHTERS Hans Lowenthal, London, England, assignor to Calibri Lighters Limited, London, England, a British company Filed June 12, 1959, Ser. No. 819,893

Claims priority, application Great Britain Nov. 5, 1958 8 Claims. (Cl. 141-18) Some gas-burning cigarette lighters have a gas reservoir which can be refilled when empty from a bottle or The reservoir which may either be an integral part of the lighter or be detachable, has an inlet valve for this purpose which is opened by the application to it of the gas container.

It is most importantwhen refilling the reservoirs of such lighters that the reservoir should not be completely filled with the liquefied gas and that a space should be left for expansion of the liquefied gas which takes place when the reservoir is warmed, for example by placing the lighter in a pocket or other warm place. If no space is left, expansion of thegas causes bulging or other deformation ofythe reservoir and this, besides damaging the lighter and valves, may be extremely dangerous because the reservoir might burst.

To prevent overfilling of the reservoir, supplies of liquefied gas have usually been sold in containers which hold gas.

According -to the present invention, a coupling device for connecting a gas refill container to the reservoir of a gas-burning cigarette lighter comprises a screw-threaded neck or socket adapted to be screwed into, or to receive, a complementary coupling device, closure means within the neck or socket, the closure means being normally closed by being arranged to be opened by the complementary device when the two devices are screwed'to- .gether, and a venting passage in the wall of the neck or socket, the venting passage being so positioned that it is :closed when the two devices are screwed fully together but is'opened and allows gas to escape from the reservoir as the two devices are unscrewed from each other.

With this coupling device, the connection between the reservoir and the liquefied gas container is gas-tightly sealed whilst the filling operation is actually taking place but as the venting passage is opened during part of the time that the two parts of the coupling device are being unscrewed from each other, some of the gas which has been transferred from the container to the reservoir escapes to the atmosphere so that the reservoir is no longer entirely filled.

Although it is not essential, the venting passage is also opened as the two devices are screwed together as well as when they are unscrewed. This leads to a further very considerable advantage of the invention which is that, provided there is a small residual amount of gas in the reservoir when it is refilled, some of this gas will escape from the reservoir as the devices are screwed together. As it escapes, the gas expands and brings about a substantial cooling of, and lowering of the gaseous pressure within the reservoir. This cooling lowers the pressure in the reservoirconsiderably below that in the refill container Patented June 20, 1961 which is at atmospheric temperature. The excess pressure in the container forces the liquefied gas into the reservoir and greatly increases the speed of the filling operation which otherwise takes place only under gravity and by increasing the pressure in the container by warming it. For example, it has been found that a pocket cigarette lighter which previously took 20 to 30 seconds or even, under some circumstances, up to one minute to fill, can be filled, using a coupling device in accordance with the invention, in between 2 and 5 seconds due to the cooling of the reservoir and the lowering of the pressure in the reservoir by the escaping of the residual gas.

A coupling device in accordance with the invention may form a part of the liquefied gas container from which the reservoir of the lighter is filled, it may form a part of the reservoir of the lighter itself or it may be a part of a separate adaptor by means of which a gas refill container is connected to the lighter reservoir.

"In the first of these cases, the container has a screwthreaded neck containing closure means which is arranged to be opened by means on the reservoir when the neck is screwed into a socket in the reservoir, and the neck has in its wall a venting passage which is so positioned that it is closed when the neck is screwed fully into the socket but is opened and allows gas to escape from the reservoir as the neck is unscrewed from the socket.

In the second case, the reservoir has a screw-threaded socket containing closure means which is normally closed but which is arranged to be opened by the neck of a refill container when the neck is screwed into the socket, and the socket has in its wall a venting passage which is so positioned that it is closed when the neck is screwed fully into the socket but is opened and allows gas to escape from the reservoir through the closure means as the neck is unscrewed from the socket.

In the third case, the adaptor may comprise a part which is arranged to be fixed to the container and a screwthreaded neck containing closure means which is normally closed but which is arranged to be opened by means on the reservoir when the neck is screwed into a socket on the reservoir. The neck then has the venting passage formed in its wall in the same way as the venting passage is formed in the neck of a gas container, the passage being so positioned that it is closed when the neck isscrewed fully into the socket, but is opened and allows gas to escape from the reservoir through the closure means as the neck is unscrewed from the socket. Alternatively,,the adaptor may comprise a neck which is arranged to be screwed into a screw-threaded socket on the reservoir and a screw-threaded socket containing closure means, which is normally closed but which is arranged to be opened by the neck of a refill container when the neck is screwed into the socket, and the socket has in its wall the venting passage so positioned that it is closed when the neck of the container is screwed fully into the socket but is opened and allows gas to escape from the reservoir through the closure means as the neck of the container is unscrewed from the socket in the adaptor.

The venting passage may be in the form of an enclosed bore formed through the wall of the neck of the container or the socket of a reservoir, but preferably it is a groove formed either in the outer surface of the neck or in the inner surface of the wall of the socket. In the former case, the groove extends along the neck from the end of the neck to a position between the ends of the screw thread on the neck and in the latter case the groove extends along the socket from the open end towards the inner end of the socket. The arrangement with an adaptor is similar.

The closure means contained within the neck of a gas container may be a self-sealing rubber diaphragm which is pierced by a hollow piercing element on the lighter i I 2,989,091 I reservoir when the neck is screwed into the socket iii the reservoir, but preferably the closure means is a springloaded valve. The closure means in the socket of the lighter reservoir is preferably in all cases a spring-loaded valve.

When the neck of the gas container contains a springloaded valve, the spring which holds this valve shut is preferably stronger than the spring of the valve on the lighter reservoir. Thus, as the neck of the gas container is unscrewed from the socket on the reservoir, the valve in the neck of the gas container closes shortly before the valve in the reservoir. It is during this time that the venting passage is opened so that gas is allowed to escape from the reservoir but not from the gas container.

Some examples of coupling devices in accordance with the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the reservoir of a gas-burning cigarette lighter and a fuel container before the neck of the container is screwed into the socket in the lighter reservoir;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-section as seen in the direction of the arrows on the line IIzII in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a section similar to that shown in FIG- URE l of parts of the container and reservoir shown in FIGURE 1 but with the neck of the container screwed fully into the socket on the reservoir;

FIGURE 4 is a section similar to that shown in FIG- URE 3 but with the neck of the container partly unscrewed from the socket in the reservoir;

FIGURE 5 is a section through parts of another refill container and of a lighter reservoir before the neck of the container is screwed into the socket on the reservoir;

FIGURE 6 is a section similar to FIGURE 5 but showing the neck of the container screwed fully into the socket in the reservoir;

FIGURE 7 is another section similar to FIGURE 5 but showing the neck of the container partly unscrewed from the socket on the reservoir;

FIGURE 8 is a section similar to FIGURE 3 showing a modification of the gas refill container;

FIGURE 9 is a section similar to FIGURE 6 but showing a modification of the lighter reservoir;

FIGURE 10 is a section through part of a gas refill container and through an adaptor screwed on to the neck of the container;

FIGURE 11 is a section similar to FIGURE 10 but showing another adaptor; and

FIGURE 12 is a section through part of another reservoir.

As seen in FIGURE 1, the reservoir 1 of a gas-burning cigarette lighter has a burner outlet 2 with an outlet valve 3. In the same Wall of the reservoir as the burner 2 is a screw-threaded socket 4 which is arranged to receive the neck of a gas container for refilling the reservoir 1 when all the gas in it has been burnt.

In the bottom of the socket 4 is an inlet valve 5 which is normally held in the closed position on a seat 6- by a compression spring 7. The valve 5 has a stem 8 and this is surrounded within the socket 4 by a sealing washer 9. A gas refill container 10 has an externally screwthreaded neck 11 within which is a valve 12 having a stem 13. The valve 12 is normally held in the closed position on a seating 14 by a spring 15 which is held in position by a ring 16. In the outer surface of the neck 11 is a venting passage in the form of a groove 17.

To refill the reservoir 1, the neck 11 is screwed into the socket 4. As this is done, the end of the stem 8 comes into contact With the end of the stem 13 and both the valves 5 and 12 are opened against the action of their respective springs 7 and 15. The spring 15 is stronger than the spring 7 and in consequence the valve 5 is opened further than the valve 12. When the neck 11 is screwed fully into the socket 4 as shown in FIGURE 3, the end of the neck 11 comes into contact with the sealing washer 9. Gas is thus able to flow through a bore 18 in the neck 11 and thence through the valve 5 and through openings 19 into the inside of the reservoir 1. While this is happening, the venting groove 17 is shut ofi by screw threads 20 at the mouth of the socket 4 and is also shut off by the contact between the end of the neck 11 and the washer 9. It is seen, therefore, that it is directly closed by the socket 4.

As shown in FIGURE 4, however, as the neck 11 is unscrewed from the socket 4, the upper end of the venting groove 17 is opened as it protrudes beyond the mouth of the socket 4 and the lower end of the venting groove 17 is opened as the end of the neck 11 moves out of contact with the washer 9. When this stage of the unscrewing of the neck 11 has been reached, the valve 12 is closed by its spring 15 but the valve 5 remains partly opened against the action of its spring 7. Some gas, therefore, escapes from the reservoir 1 through the openings 19 past the valve 5 and through the venting groove 17. This escape continues until the neck 11 is completely unscrewed from the socket 4 and the valve 5 is consequently closed by its spring 7. Because of this escape of gas, the reservoir which may have been completely filled with liquefied gas from the container 10, remains no longer completely filled and there is a small space which contains gas in its gaseous phase.

The parts of the reservoir 1 and of the gas container 10 shown in FIGURES 5 to 7 are the same as those shown in FIGURES 1 to 4 and have the same reference numerals, with the exception that the neck 11 of the container 10 is not provided with any venting groove 17 but instead a groove 21 which forms a venting passage is provided in the inner surface of the socket 4. The groove 21 performs precisely the same function as the groove 17. When the neck 11 is screwed fully into the socket 4, the groove 21 is closed by the inner end of the neck 11 as shown in FIGURE 6 but when the neck 11 has been partly unscrewed from the socket 4 as shown in FIGURE 7, the groove 21 is opened whilst the valve 5 is still partly opened and gas is allowed to escape to the atmosphere from the reservoir 1.

The example shown in FIGURE 8 is similar in all its :details to that shown in FIGURES 1 to 4, with the exception that the neck 11 of the gas container 10 is provided with an oblique bore 22 which forms a venting passag in place of the groove 17.

The example shown in FIGURE 9 is similar to that shown in FIGURES 5 to 7, with the exception that an oblique bore 23 is formed through the wall of the socket 4 in place of the groove 21.

'Ihe efl'ect of the bores 22 and 23 shown in FIGURES 8 and 9 are, however, identical with the effect of the grooves 17 and 21.

To achieve the effects of the invention with existing gas containers and gas reservoirs, an adaptor may be provided which screws on to the neck 11 of the container and has a neck which is screwed into the socket 4 in the reservoir 1. Two examples of such adaptors are shown inFIGURES 10 andll.

In the example shown in FIGURE 10, a neck 24 of the adaptor contains a valve 25 having a stem 26, the valve being held shut by a spring 27 which abuts against a washer 28. The washer 28 has a projecting pin 29 which comes into engagement with the stem 13 of the valve 12 and opens this valve 'against the action of the spring 15 when the neck 11 is screwed into position in a socket 30 in the adaptor. The joint between the neck 11 and the socket 30 is sealed by a washer 31. A venting passage in the form of a groove 32 is provided on the outside surface of the neck 24. This groove functions in exactly the same manner as the groove 17 provided in the neck of the container 10 shown in FIGURES 1 to 4 of the drawings. This adaptor is screwed permanently in position on the neck 11 of the container 10. When it is required to fill the reservoir of a lighter, the neck 24 is screwed into the socket 4 of the reservoir. When refilling is complete, the neck '24 is unscrewed and some gas escapes from the reservoir through the groove 30.

The adaptor shown in FIGURE 11 comprises a neck 33 having openings 34 passing through it. The neck 33 contains a valve 35 which is normally held shut on a seating '36 by a spring 37. The valve 35 has a stem 38 which extends into a socket 39 which receives the neck 11 of the container A venting passage in the form of a groove 40 is formed in the socket 39. In use, the neck 33 of the adaptor is first screwed into the socket 4 of the reservoir and the end of the neck comes into contact with and opens the valve 5. Gas is, however, prevented from escaping from the reservoir by the valve 35 which is closed by the spring 37. The neck 11 is then screwed fully into the socket 39 as shown in FIGURE 11. When the reservoir 1 has been filled, the neck 11 is unscrewed from the socket 39. As this happens, the lower end of the groove 40 is opened whilst the valve 35 is still held open and gas escapes from the reservoir 1 through the groove 40. When the neck 11 has been completely unscrewed, the valve 35 closes. The neck 33 of the adaptor is then unscrewed from the socket 4 in the reservoir 1.

In all the examples so far described, the venting passage is closed directly by the complementary coupling device when the two coupling devices are screwed fully together. In the modification shown in FIGURE 12, however, a venting passage 41 is provided in the wall of the socket 4. When the neck of a gas refill container is screwed fully into the socket 4, a washer 42 is pressed downwards and closes the inner end 43 of the passage 41. As the neck is unscrewed, however, the washer 42 is lifted by the gas pressure within the reservoir and gas is allowed to escape to the atmosphere through the passage 41. In this case, it will be seen that the venting passage 41 is closed indirectly by the neck of the gas container, the washer 42 in elfect forming a secondary valve which is operated by the neck of the refill container.

I claim:

1. A coupling for connecting a gas refill container to the reservoir of a gas burning cigarette lighter, said coupling comprising tubular male and female members pro vided with complementary threads permitting them to be screwed together to form a passage between said container and reservoir a vent in one of said members positioned to be open when said members are screwed part way together but blocked by the other member when they are screwed further together, a valve in each member athwart said passage, resilient means in each member biasing said valve toward a passage closing position, and valve actuating means carried by each member positioned to open the valve in the other member when said members are screwed together past a predetermined point, each actuator being mounted on the moving element of one of said valves so as to be biased by its resilient means and positioned to engage the other actuator as said members are screwed together, the resilient means biasing the valve in said female member being weaker than the other and loaded to permit said valve to be opened by said actuators before the other valve is opened and before said members are screwed together far enough to block said vent, said other valve being opened only after said vent is blocked.

2. A coupling for connecting a gas refill container to the reservoir of a gas burning cigarette lighter, said coupling comprising two tubular mating members, one of said tubular members having an inner threaded surface and the other an outer surface provided with complementary threads permitting said tubular members to be screwed together to form a main passage between said container and reservoir, said surfaces being contoured to provide a venting passage therebetween which connects said main passage to the ambient air when said tubular members are only partially screwed together, means on one of said members for blocking said venting passage when said tubular members are screwed further together, a valve in each of said tubular members which normally occupies a main passage closing position and cooperating valve actuating means carried by said members which opens one of said valves as said tubular members are screwed together before reaching the point at which said venting passage is blocked but opens the other valve only after said point is passed.

3. A coupling as claimed in claim 2 in which the tubular member carrying said last mentioned valve is connected to said refill container and the other tubular member is connected to said reservoir.

4. A gas container for refilling the reservoir of a gasburning cigarette lighter of the type provided with a filling socket, normally closed closure means in said socket and closure opening means in said socket, said container comprising a wall defining a hollow screw-threaded neck mating with said socket, normally closed closure means in said neck, and closure opening means in said neck adapted to cooperate with the closure opening means in said socket to open the closure means in said socket when said neck is screwed part way thereinto, and then open the closure means in said neck when said neck is screwed further into said socket, said neck having in its Wall a venting passage which is so positioned that it is closed when said neck is screwed so far into said socket that the closure means in said neck is opened by said closure opening means, but remains open when said neck is screwed into said socket only far enough to open the closure means in said socket, thus permitting gas to escape from said reservoir through said venting passage.

5. A container according to claim 4, in which the venting passage is a groove in the outer surface of the neck, the groove extending along the neck from the end of the neck to a position between the ends of the screw thread on the neck.

6. A gas container according to claim 4, in which the closure means in said neck is a spring-loaded valve.

7. -A gas reservoir for a gas-burning cigarette lighter which is adapted to be filled from a gas container of the type provided with a hollow screw-threaded neck, normally closed closure means in said neck and closure operating means in said neck, said reservoir comprising a wall defining a screw-threaded socket mating with said neck, normally closed closure means in said socket, and closure opening means in said socket adapted to cooperate with the closure opening means in said neck to open the closure means in said socket when said neck is screwed part way into said socket and then open the closure means in said neck when said neck is screwed further into said socket, said socket having in its wall a venting passage which is so positioned that it is closed when said neck is screwed into said socket so far that the closure means in said neck is opened by said closure opening means, but remains open when said neck is screwed into said socket only far enough to open the closure means in said socket, thus permitting gas to escape from said reservoir through said venting passage.

8. A reservoir according to claim 7, in which the venting passage is a groove in the inner surface of the wall of the socket, the groove extending along the socket from the open end towards the inner end of the socket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,679,140 Burchett May 25, 1954 2,779,515 Welty Jan. 29, 1957 2,857,937 Ayers Oct. 28, 1958 2,882,940 Zellweger Apr. 21, 1959 2,901,008 Cavette et a1. Aug. 25, 1959 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,989,091 June 20, 1961 I Hans Lowenthal It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below 1n the grant, lines 2 and 12, and in the heading to the printed specification, lines 5 and 6, name of assignee, for

"Calibri Lighters Limited", each occurrence, read Colihri Lighters Limited Signed and sealed this 7th day of November 1961..

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER DAVID L. LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents USCOMM-DC 

